The Town Council was required by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to adopt a Publication Scheme. The purpose of the scheme is to be a means by which local councils can make a significant amount of information available routinely, without waiting for someone to specifically request it.  The scheme is intended to encourage local councils to publish more information proactively and to develop a greater culture of openness and transparency.

Teignmouth Town Council has adopted the Model Publication Scheme. This scheme includes some core information and some optional information.

 
The information contained in each class will be available in a variety of formats, namely a hard copy on request from the Town Clerk, by inspection at the Council offices or some information may be available on the Council's website.

Reasonable charges may apply for the provision of copies of the documents / information listed in each of the classes. Photocopying charges are 30p per A4 page and 60p per A3 page.

CLASSES OF INFORMATION

Class 1

COUNCIL INTERNAL PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE

Core Documents

·          Minutes of council, committee and sub-committee meetings – limited to the last 2 years (link to Minutes).

·          Procedural Standing Orders

·          Councils Annual Report to Parish Meeting

Optional documents

·          Agendas and supporting papers for council, committee and sub-committee meetings-limited in each case to the forthcoming/immediate meeting. (Link to Agendas)

·          Terms of Reference for Committees

Class 2

CODE OF CONDUCT

Core Documents

·          Members Declaration of Acceptance of Office

·          Members Register of Interests

·          Register of Members Interests Book

Class 3

PERIODIC ELECTORAL REVIEW

This is information concerning changes to the electoral arrangements for parish, town and community councils. It includes recommendations for the creation of new wards, the amendment of existing wards, proposals for the names of new wards and alterations to the number of councillors to be elected to the council.

Core Documents

·          Information relating to the last Periodic Electoral Review of the council area

·          Information relating to the latest boundary review of the council area

Class 4

EMPLOYMENT PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE

Core Documents

·          Terms & conditions of employment

·          Job descriptions

Optional documents

·          Health & Safety Policy

·          Staffing Structure

Exclusions – ‘personal records’ i.e. appraisals, employee specific salary details, disciplinary records, sickness records and the like by virtue of being personal data under the Data Protection Act 1998

Class 5

PLANNING DOCUMENTS

Core Documents

Responses to planning applications (link to Minutes)

Exclusions – Copies of planning consultations, the Development Plan, Structure Plan, Local Plan and Rights of Way/Footpath maps all of which are available from the local planning and/or highway authority respectively

Class 6

AUDIT AND ACCOUNTS

Core Documents

·          Annual return form – limited to the last financial year

·          Annual Statutory report by auditor (internal and external) – limited to the last financial year

·          Receipt/Payment books, Receipt books of all kinds, Bank Statements from all accounts – limited to the last financial year

·          Precept request – limited to the last financial year

·          VAT records – limited to the last financial year

·          Financial Standing Orders and Regulations

·          Assets register – this will include details of commons/village greens owned by the council including management schemes for commons as well as village halls, community centres and recreation grounds.

·          Risk Assessments

Optional documents

·          Fees and charges applied by the council

·          Safety inspection records for example for playgrounds

Exclusions – all commercially sensitive information e.g. quotations and tenders, loan documentation and insurance policies.  With regard to quotations and tenders, this information is treated as confidential to ensure that the whole tender process is fair i.e. if tender information is released to a third party prior to the end of the tender period those who initially submitted tenders could be undercut and/or unfairly disadvantaged.
(link to Council funding)

Class 8

BYELAWS

Optional documents

·          The regulation of a pleasure ground or public space   

Class 9

COUNCIL CIRCULARS/NEWSLETTERS         

Optional documents

·          Council Newsletter

·          Town, parish, community guide

·          History of town, parish or community (or similar commissioned publication)

Class 12

Allotments        

Optional documents

·          Plans

·          Deeds